1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of structural member repair, and more specifically to the repair of wood rot in structural members.
2. Description of Related Art
In addition to being unsightly, damaged or decayed structural members in buildings or structures can be dangerous. Left unrepaired, the damaged member will further deteriorate and allow additional damage to the entire structure. Particularly in residential structures, damage due to wood rot or decay allows water incursion into other areas of the structure. In areas around windows, for example, rotted sill or sash pieces not only lessen the structural integrity of the window unit, they also allow moisture to permeate into wall cavities, causing further damage to the entire residence.
While simple methods of repairing damaged or rotted areas in structural members are known, these methods are primarily cosmetic in nature, and do nothing to restore strength to the damaged structural member nor to eliminate the source of the damage or prevent the rot from spreading. For instance, it is known in the art to repair a rotted area of a wooden member by removing the rotted material from the member and filling the resulting void with body filler or wood putty. After being shaped and painted, the repaired area blends into the original member and the area appears to be fixed. However, such a repair has not added strength to the damaged structural member, nor has it addressed the source of the problem that initially caused the damage. Thus, such cosmetic repairs have a high failure rate as the wood rot continues to spread through the structural member, and the cosmetic repair often degrades after it is exposed to structural forces.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for a method of repairing rotted structural members that restores strength to the structural member and that minimizes further damage to the structure.